British trip-hop band Massive Attack has been barred from performing in Singapore after an investigation found two members unfurled a Palestinian flag during a concert, police said.

Singapore, known for its tough laws on public speech and assembly, bans the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit.

Two band members who held the flag on stage during a concert on Wednesday were also banned from re-entering Singapore and issued with warnings, police said in a statement late on Friday, without naming the pair.

The concert promoter had not responded to an AFP request for comment at time of publication. The band had not issued a public comment.

A video circulating online showed two Massive Attack members on stage unfurling a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience.

After concluding their investigation and in consultation with state prosecutors, police said they “administered stern warnings to both men” and barred them from coming back to the city-state.

The media regulator was also probing possible breaches of licensing conditions.

“Notwithstanding the event organiser’s prior acknowledgment of the licence conditions, during the performance, two band members held a foreign flag on stage, and one of them also shouted ‘Free Palestine’,” police said.

The media regulator “will also not grant any future application for performances by the band in Singapore in view of the entry ban”, police said.

The band is known for its criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has used its popularity to support the Palestinian cause.

In April, frontman Robert Del Naja was among more than 200 people arrested at a protest in London’s Trafalgar Square in support of Palestine Action, an activist group banned by British authorities.

Singapore is a major concert hub for south-east Asia, having hosted multi-night performances by Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.

The police urged the public, including foreigners, “to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law”. (The Guardian)

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The Representative of Sri Lanka to the State of Palestine, Farook Mohamed Fawzer, paid an official courtesy call on Governor of Nablus Ghassan Daghlas at the Governorate Headquarters, reaffirming bilateral ties with Palestine’s key economic hub.

According to the Representative Office of Sri Lanka in Ramallah, at the outset, Representative Fawzer conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to Governor Daghlas and the people of Nablus on behalf of the Government and people of Sri Lanka.

Recognizing Nablus as Palestine’s historic manufacturing heartland and premier industrial hub, renowned for furniture, stone and marble, food processing, pharmaceuticals, traditional soap making, and vibrant commercial markets, the discussions focused on leveraging Nablus’s industrial strength to enhance direct trade and economic ties with Sri Lanka.

Governor Daghlas welcomed the delegation and provided a detailed briefing on the socio‑economic landscape, outlining challenges such as logistical constraints on trade, movement restrictions, and their impact on business continuity, education, and community well‑being.

In response, Representative Fawzer reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing practical economic diplomacy and fostering bilateral partnerships. He extended a formal invitation to the Nablus business community, through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to participate in Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled for January 2027.

“Nablus serves as a vibrant economic driver for Palestine,” noted Representative Fawzer. “Through platforms such as Sri Lanka Expo 2027, we aim to build direct B2B bridges, connecting Nablus’s prominent industrialists, traders, and entrepreneurs with Sri Lankan counterparts to foster mutual growth and sustainable economic collaboration.”

Both dignitaries concluded the meeting by reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, supporting trade resilience, and deepening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Palestine. (Newswire)

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Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a controversial one-sided bill that will instruct military courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of “terror”, but will not impose the same penalty on Jewish Israelis convicted of killing Palestinians.

The law, which enters into effect within 30 days, was approved on Monday in the 120-seat Knesset by 62 lawmakers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with 48 voting against it and one abstention.

Its passage marks a major victory for Israel’s far right, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir having pushed for its enactment as one of the main conditions of his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party’s coalition agreement with Netanyahu.

The Palestinian Authority called the bill “a war crime against the Palestinian people”, saying that it breached the Fourth Geneva Convention, “particularly the protections it guarantees for individuals and the safeguards for fair trials”.

The new law, introduced as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues, instructs military courts trying only West Bank Palestinians, who are not Israeli citizens, to impose the draconian sentence for lethal attacks on Israelis.

Amichai Cohen, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute’s Center for Democratic Values and Institutions, told the Associated Press that “Jews will not be indicted under this law”.

Under international law, he noted, Israel’s parliament should not be legislating in the West Bank, which is not sovereign Israeli territory in spite of the best efforts of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition to annex the territory to Israel.

The lawyer for the Knesset’s National Security Committee also raised several concerns during earlier deliberations, noting that it did not allow clemency, contradicting international conventions.

Rights group B’Tselem pointed out prior to the Knesset’s approval of the bill that the conviction rate for Palestinians tried in military courts is about 96 percent. “In many cases, these convictions are based on ‘confessions’ obtained through pressure and torture during interrogations,” it said in a post on X on Sunday.

“The law is worded in such a way that it targets only Palestinians. And it will turn the killing of Palestinians into an accepted and common tool of punishment through several mechanisms,” said the group.

According to Palestinian prisoner advocacy group Addameer, more than a third of the 9,500 Palestinians detained by Israel as of March 11 were being held under administrative detention without being tried.

Minutes after the law was passed, the Association of Civil Rights in Israel said it had filed a petition with Israel’s Supreme Court to challenge it, describing it as “discriminatory by design” and “enacted without legal authority” over West Bank Palestinians.

On its website, the association notes, among other criticisms, that the “threshold for imposing the death penalty would be lowered”, with courts able to impose sentences of death by hanging by simple majority rather than a unanimous decision by judges.

Though Israel technically has the death penalty on the books as a possible punishment for acts of genocide, espionage during wartime, and for certain “terror” offences, the country hasn’t put anyone to death since Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was executed in 1962.

Appearing in the Knesset before voting began, Ben-Gvir wore a pin featuring a small metal noose on his lapel. “From today, every terrorist will know, and the whole world will know, that whoever takes a life, the State of Israel will take their life,” he said.

The bill, which comes into effect as the occupied West Bank experiences a surge in Israeli military and settler violence, was condemned by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom on Sunday.

Amnesty International said in February that it would make the death penalty “another discriminatory tool in Israel’s system of apartheid”. (Al Jazeera)

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Israel’s systematic torture of Palestinians, long shielded by decades of impunity and political cover, has become a defining instrument of ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory, a UN expert warned today. 

“Since the onset of the genocide, the Israeli prison system has degenerated into a laboratory of calculated cruelty,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, in her new report to the UN Human Rights Council.

“What once operated in the shadows is now practiced openly: a regime of organised humiliation, pain and degradation, sanctioned at the highest political levels.”

Albanese said policies imposed by senior officials, including the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, have institutionalised torture, collective punishment and manifestly dehumanising conditions of detention. 

“Those responsible for these heinous violations of human rights, from which no derogation is possible even in times of war, must face investigation and justice, including before the International Criminal Court,” the Special Rapporteur said.                 

Albanese’s report warns that since October 2023, more than 18,500 Palestinians have been detained across the occupied Palestinian territory, including at least 1,500 children. Thousands remain in detention without charge or trial. Many have been forcibly disappeared. Nearly 100 detainees have died in custody. Detainees have been abused in unfathomable ways, including rape with bottles, metal rods and knives, starvation, breaking of bones and teeth, burning, being spat upon, and being attacked and urinated upon by dogs. 

In 2025, the UN Committee against Torture denounced “a de facto State policy of organized and widespread torture and ill-treatment … that has gravely intensified since 7 October 2023.”

“A system that has long been used to dominate, degrade and break Palestinians has evolved and hardened into state doctrine,” Albanese warned. 

“It is defended by politicians, rationalised by legal institutions, sanitised by media narrative and tolerated by governments that continue to arm and shield Israel.”  

The report by the Special Rapporteur finds that torture extends beyond prison walls. Through relentless bombardment, forced displacement, starvation, the destruction of homes, hospitals and infrastructure, pervasive surveillance, and terror inflicted by soldiers and settler terror militias, Israel has created what the report calls a “torturous environment” across the entire occupied Palestinian territory.

“In Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Palestinians are subjected to a continuum of suffering,” Albanese said. “There is no refuge. No sanctuary. No safe place to exist.”

The report concludes that the systematic use of torture, combined with the wider campaign of destruction inflicted on Palestinians, forms an integral component of the ongoing genocide, inflicting severe bodily and mental harm on Palestinians as a group. 

“Torture does to the individual what genocide does to a people,” she said. “It destroys the conditions of life and human dignity. It reduces human beings to objects of abuse,” the expert said. 

Albanese urged Israel to immediately cease all acts of torture and ill-treatment, grant access to international investigators and humanitarian organizations, and ensure accountability for those responsible pending its urgently needed dismantlement of the occupation.

“Member states must meet their legal obligations to prevent and punish genocide, torture and other serious violations of international law,” she said, including by investigating and issuing arrest warrants for those responsible, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich and Israel Katz.

“International law is unequivocal: torture is absolutely prohibited, without exception,” Albanese said.

“Its increasing use as part of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people makes this violation all the more grave and indefensible,” she said. “If the international community continues to tolerate such acts when inflicted on Palestinians, then the law itself will be stripped of meaning.” (UN – Special Procedures)

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The Israeli military has killed at least 20 Palestinians in attacks across Gaza after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful” strikes following an exchange of gunfire in southern Rafah, during which one Israeli soldier was wounded.

The attacks on Tuesday marked the most significant flare-up in violence since a ceasefire brokered by United States President Donald Trump came into effect in the war-devastated territory on October 10.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, accused Israel of violating the truce and said it would postpone the planned handover of the body of a missing captive.

In a statement, it also warned that any Israeli escalation “will hinder search, digging, and retrieval operations of the bodies, which will lead to a delay in recovering the bodies” of the remaining 13 captives in Gaza.

In Washington, DC, US Vice President JD Vance insisted that the truce was still holding despite the attacks and the claims of violations by both sides.

“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there,” Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill.

“We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an [Israeli] soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite that.”

Hamas has denied any involvement in the attack in Rafah.

‘Mayhem, panic’

In Gaza, medical sources told Al Jazeera that the victims of Tuesday’s attacks included four people killed in a strike on a residential building in the Sabra neighbourhood of northern Gaza City, and five others in southern Khan Younis.

The sources said that at least 50 others have been wounded.

In the Sabra neighbourhood, efforts to rescue Palestinians trapped in the rubble continued through the night, with workers using their bare hands to dig through the debris.

Medics said the wounded included women and children.

The attacks came after Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying the prime minister had ordered the military to “carry out powerful strikes” in Gaza.

The statement did not give a specific reason for the attacks, but it was followed by a statement from Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, who blamed Hamas for the attack in Rafah. Katz pledged that the group would “pay a heavy price” for the alleged attacks on Israeli soldiers.

The Associated Press news agency, citing two unnamed US officials, said that Israel had notified Washington before launching the latest strikes on Gaza.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said that Israel has killed at least 94 Palestinians in attacks since the ceasefire came into effect, and is continuing to heavily restrict the flow of aid to those who desperately need it. (Al Jazeera)

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Palestinians celebrated on Monday as Israel began releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinians from prison in exchange for Hamas’s freeing of Israeli hostages under a breakthrough ceasefire deal in Gaza.

Hundreds cheered as two buses carrying dozens of released prisoners arrived in Beitunia in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The freed men, with their heads’ shaved, descended from the bus, flashing V-for-victory signs; some were lifted up onto the shoulders of the crowd, while others sunk into chairs nearby exhausted.

“It was an indescribable journey of suffering — hunger, unfair treatment, oppression, torture and curses — more than anything you could imagine,” said Kamal Abu Shanab, a 51-year-old Fatah member from the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

His face gaunt, he said he lost 139 pounds (59 kilograms) in prison.

“We don’t recognize him. He’s not the person we knew. Our uncle doesn’t look like our uncle,” said his niece, Farah Abu Shanab.

A profound moment

The releases have powerful resonance on both sides.

For Israelis, they’re deeply painful, since some of those being release have been convicted over attacks that killed civilians and soldiers. For Palestinians, the issue of prisoners is among the most politically charged, with nearly every Palestinian having a friend or family member who has been jailed by Israel, particularly young men.

While Israel views them as terrorists, many Palestinians consider the prisoners as freedom fighters resisting a decades-long Israeli military occupation.

In previous exchanges, both sides have sought to tightly manage the releases — including the images, clothing and ceremonies — because of their political sensitivity.

The 2,000 include some 1,700 of the several thousand Palestinians that Israeli troops seized from Gaza during the 2-year war and have held without charge.

Those slated for release also include 250 Palestinians sentenced to prison terms, most of them convicted of murder and terrorism in deadly attacks on Israelis dating back decades as well as others convicted on lesser charges, according to Israel’s Justice Ministry. The longest serving among them has been imprisoned for nearly 40 years. (AP)

Released Palestinian prisoners eagerly search for, and reunite with, their families upon arrival in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank pic.twitter.com/Mmf9cFeest

— TRT World (@trtworld) October 13, 2025

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The Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine (SLCSP) elected veteran journalists Ameen Izzadeen and Mahinda Hattaka as its co-chairmen at the annual general meeting held in Colombo this week. 

The SLCSP also appointed as patrons the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, Ihab M. Khalil, along with past chairmen Imthiaz Bakeer Markar and Minister Bimal Rathnayake, the immediate past president. 

The other office bearers are as follows: 

• Vice Chairpersons: 

Hana Ibrahim, Shirley Candappa, Latheef Farook, N. M. Ameen and Daya Lankapura. 

• General Secretary: M. Fawzer Farook 
• Asst. Secretary: Mohamed Fairooze 
• Treasurer: Hameed Ashraf 
• Asst. Treasurer Sukumar Rockwood 
• Media Secretary: Fiyas Mohamed Committee 
• Members: 

Lakshman Gunasekara, MP Mujibur Rahman, Prof. Prathap Kalutantri, Janaka Adikari, Anura Gunawardana, M. R. M. Fouzi, U. Tharindu, H. T. Silva, Asma Edris Rahman, Shafraz Shajahan, S. Ranjith, Althaf Iqbal and Shafraz Zakariya. (Newswire)

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The leaders of six countries, including France, have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood at a high-level summit ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.

Alongside France, which co-convened the meeting with Saudi Arabia on Monday in New York, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco said they were recognising a Palestinian state.

Leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom, which formally made the move to recognise Palestine a day earlier, also spoke at the meeting.

“We have gathered here because the time has come,” Macron said at the summit convened to revive the long-delayed two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution,” Macron said.

“Today, I declare that France recognises the state of Palestine,” he said.

The additional countries recognising Palestine now join some 147 of the 193 UN member states that had already formally recognised Palestinian statehood as of April this year.

With more than 80 percent of the international community now recognising the state of Palestine, diplomatic pressure has ramped up on Israel as it continues its genocidal war on Gaza, where more than 65,300 Palestinians have been killed and the enclave has been turned into rubble.

Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised Palestinian statehood last year, with Madrid also imposing sanctions on Israel for its war on Gaza.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told the summit on Monday that a two-state solution was not possible “when the population of one of those two states is the victim of a genocide”.

“The Palestinian people are being annihilated, [so] in the name of reason, in the name of international law and in the name of human dignity, we have to stop this slaughter,” Sanchez said.

Macron, in his speech to the summit, also outlined a framework for the creation of a “renewed Palestinian Authority”. The post-war framework envisages an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that would assist in preparing the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take over governance in Gaza.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas commended the countries that had recognised Palestine. He made his statement to the conference by video because he was denied a visa by the administration of US President Donald Trump to attend the UNGA this week.

“We call on those that have not yet done so to do so to follow suit”, Abbas said, adding that the PA also demanded “support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations”.

Israel and the US, which are becoming increasingly isolated internationally on the issue, boycotted the summit, with Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, describing the event as a “circus”.

Although the vast majority of UN member states now recognise Palestinian statehood, new UN member states must have the support of the UN Security Council, where the US has used its veto to block Palestine from becoming a full UN member state.

‘A right, not a reward’

Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his support for the two-state solution, framing it as the only viable path towards peace after years of failed negotiations and ongoing violence.

Guterres said that statehood for Palestinians “is a right, not a reward”, rejecting US and Israeli claims that it was a reward for Hamas.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, thanked Macron and the UN chief for their efforts towards a two-state solution, which he said is “the only way to achieve just and lasting peace”.

He said the conference comes at a time when “the Israeli occupation authorities continue their aggression and their brutal crimes” against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel also continues its “violations in the West Bank, and its repeated attacks on Arab and Muslim countries, with the most recent attack on Qatar”, he said.

“These actions underline Israel’s insistence on continuing aggressive practices that threaten regional and international peace and stability and undermine efforts of peace in the region,” he added.

The US, Israel’s closest ally, has criticised Western governments for their recognition of Palestine, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier saying that the move will “embolden [Hamas]” and make it harder to end the war.

On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump believes the countries’ recognition of Palestine “is a reward to Hamas”. (Al Jazeera)

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says Israel and Palestine functioning peacefully as two countries is the official policy and program of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

MP Sajith Premadasa said he stands firmly for protecting the rights of the Palestinian people because it is just and fair. 

“The peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine as two independent countries is the official policy and program of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya,” he emphasized.

MP Premadasa further said that the Palestinian people are currently facing state terrorism from Israel, with civilians, including children, mothers, and women, being subjected to genocide in the Gaza Strip. 

Strongly condemning these acts of genocide, he stressed that until the rights of the Palestinian people are secured and the murderous culture of state terrorism, including the bombing of hospitals, comes to an end, his party will not maintain any friendship or association with those who practice such brutality.

He further reiterated that this is the unwavering policy and position of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, and no external influence can alter it. 

MP Premadasa also called for an immediate end to the mass killings and targeted attacks on the Palestinian people.

The Opposition Leader made the remarks while addressing the Parliament of Sri Lanka today. (Newswire)

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Spain has announced sweeping measures against Israel, including a total arms embargo, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saying the move is aimed at “stopping the genocide in Gaza” and “supporting the Palestinian population”.

“There is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children,” Sanchez, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, said in a speech posted from his official X account.

“This is an unjustifiable attack on the civilian population. Sixty thousand dead, two million displaced, half of them children. This is not self-defence … it is the extermination of a defenceless people.”

Central to the package, unveiled on Monday, is a royal decree law that will be approved by Spain’s cabinet and later ratified by parliament. The measure formalises what has been in effect since October 2023: a ban on the purchase and sale of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to Israel.

Spain will also prohibit ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from docking at its ports, deny airspace access to aircraft transporting defence material, and bar entry to individuals “directly involved in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes” in Gaza, a restriction that could apply to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government.

Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have been issued an arrest warrant for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC), but several European leaders have faced criticism for refusing to execute the ICC warrant. The United States, the closest ally of Israel and its main military funder, has even slapped sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan.

Other steps include banning imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Sanchez pledging 10 million euros ($11.7m) in new funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and a total of 150 million euros ($176m) in humanitarian aid for Gaza by 2026.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Spain’s measures as “anti-Semitic” and accused Sanchez’s socialist government of leading a “hostile anti-Israel line, with uncontrolled and hateful rhetoric”.

Israel’s leaders have often conflated criticism of its human rights violations and abuse against Palestinians with anti-Semitism. Similar charges were levelled against French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in August after they announced recognition of the Palestinian state and called for an end to the war in Gaza.

Israel also announced it would bar two Spanish ministers from entering the country.

Madrid swiftly rejected the allegations, summoning its ambassador in Israel back for consultations. Spain’s Foreign Ministry said it “strongly rejects the false and slanderous accusations of antisemitism made by the Israeli government” and that it would “not be intimidated in its defence of peace, international law and human rights”.

“The measures relating to the inhumane situation in Gaza and the West Bank, announced today by the President of the Spanish Government, reflect the majority opinion of Spanish society and are adopted within the framework of its sovereignty and in line with its defence of peace, human rights and international law,” the ministry added.

Spain formally recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024, joining a handful of European nations to do so. (Al Jazeera)

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.

It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.

“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.

It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.

Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’

Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.

Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.

The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.

Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.

He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.

The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.

US decision ‘contravenes international law’

The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.

The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.

Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.

But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.

The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.

The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. (Sky News)

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A protest was staged in Colombo today calling for an end to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. 

Protesters were seen holding placards and banners displaying various messages, including the starvation of children in Gaza.

They further urged Israel to stop bombing Palestine, voicing solidarity with Gaza. (Newswire)

Protesters in Colombo rallied against Israel’s actions in Palestine, calling for an end to the genocide and justice for the Palestinian people pic.twitter.com/k3s9EzyUML

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) August 15, 2025

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Australia will move to recognise a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly next month, with a condition that terror group Hamas play no role in its future governance.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would work with the international community to make recognition a reality.

“Australia will recognise the state of Palestine. Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” Mr Albanese said.

“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza.”

The Palestinian Authority has promised Australia it would recognise Israel’s right to exist, demilitarise and hold general elections, among other commitments.

Mr Albanese said every generation had known “failures and false storms” in the decades of failure to internationally recognise a state of Israel and of Palestine.

But he said the world could not wait for success to be guaranteed.

“The risk of trying is nothing compared to the danger of letting this moment pass us by. The toll of the status quo is growing by the day and it could be measured in innocent lives,” Mr Albanese said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said it had been more than 77 years since the world promised a Palestinian state.

“In the nearly two years since [the] October 7 [terror attack by Hamas], we have been working with the international community on breaking the cycle of violence,” she said.

“We can’t keep waiting for the end of a peace process that has ground to a halt.”

The prime minister said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a “long” and “civil” discussion.

“The arguments he put to me were very similar to the arguments he put more than a year ago. It seems to me very clearly … we need a political solution, not a military one,” he said.

“Far too many innocent lives have been lost. The Israeli government continues to defy international law and deny sufficient aid, food and water to desperate people, including children.

“This vital aid must be allowed to get to the people who need it most. This is about much more than drawing a line on a map.”

Ahead of the decision, Mr Netanyahu told journalists that Australia and other nations were “delusional” for thinking Palestinian recognition would bring peace.

“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole, just like that. Fall right into it … I think it’s actually shameful, but it’s not going to change our position,” Mr Netanyahu said.

The Opposition has argued now is not the time to recognise Palestine, supporting Israel’s view that it would be a reward to Hamas.

In a statement, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the government’s unilateral decision put it out of step with Australia’s “most important ally” and most consequential player in the Middle East, the United States.

“Until today it has been a bipartisan position that the question of recognising Palestinian statehood should come at the end of the peace negotiation process, not at the start or during it,” Ms Ley said.

“Anthony Albanese has committed Australia to recognising Palestine while hostages remain in tunnels under Gaza and with Hamas still in control of the population of Gaza.

“Australians all want the war in Gaza to end. Ending this war is the only way to save lives and safeguard a two-state solution. The clear advice of our most important ally is this decision will not expedite that outcome.” (ABC) 

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The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has issued an official clarification regarding the recent disciplinary action against national footballer Mohamed Thilham, who was fined USD 2,000 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for displaying a pro-Palestine message following a match in June.

In a statement issued today (07 Aug), FFSL confirmed that the fine was imposed by the AFC’s Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, not by FIFA as some social media posts had inaccurately claimed.

The incident occurred on 10 June at the Racecourse Stadium in Colombo, after Sri Lanka’s 3–1 win over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tournament. Thilham, who was an unused substitute, revealed an undershirt with the message “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE” during post-match celebrations inside the Controlled Access Area.

According to FFSL, this act violated Section 3.2.2 of the AFC’s Equipment Regulations, which prohibits political, religious, personal or controversial messages on any clothing within officially governed zones.

The federation emphasized that the sanction was not related to the content of the message, but rather the breach of specific tournament regulations.

The FFSL noted that the AFC considered mitigating factors after receiving a formal explanation from Thilham, resulting in a significantly reduced fine. The player has been given one month to settle the penalty.

Rejecting claims that the action was politically driven, the FFSL reiterated its commitment to maintaining discipline, neutrality, and the integrity of the game. It also warned against “misrepresentations” that could distort public understanding of the incident. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will recognize a Palestinian state in September if the West Bank’s governing body agrees to make certain commitments.

The prime minister said the Palestinian Authority must hold an election in 2026 and commit to other democratic reforms.

“Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism, and honouring their innate desire for the peaceful co-existence of Israeli and Palestinian states as the only roadmap for a secure and prosperous future,” Carney said during a news conference on Wednesday.

He said Canada would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly.

Carney’s announcement came after he spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier Wednesday. 

Mona Abuamara, the former chief representative of the Palestinian General Delegation to Canada, told CBC’s Power & Politics that she believes the commitments Carney set out are achievable.

“The Palestinian people have been living hell for two years. They know what they want. They need the opportunity to actually build their own state,” she told guest host David Common.

The Palestinian Authority currently controls parts of the West Bank through the Fatah party. Hamas governs in Gaza. Neither territory has held an election since 2006.

Carney said Hamas can have no role in the election he is proposing. He also reiterated that Hamas needs to release the remaining Israeli hostages and said a Palestinian state must be demilitarized.

The announcement follows similar commitments from other allied countries in the past week.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday the U.K. will also recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows the UN to bring in aid and takes other steps toward long-term peace. 

France announced a similar plan last week, but without conditions. Ireland, Norway and Spain have all recognized Palestine within the last year.

Carney said he has spoken to both Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in recent days.

“In our judgment, and the judgment of others, the prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes,” the prime minister said.

“Working with others to support the possibility of a Palestinian state establishes that [prospect].”

Canadian governments previously said they would acknowledge a Palestinian state only after a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and Palestinian leadership. Carney said that approach was “no longer tenable.”

Carney said the ongoing threat of Hamas, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and “the ongoing failure by the Israeli government to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza” spurred Canada to make this move now.

Israel rejects Canada’s plans

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said its government “rejects” Carney’s move.

“The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages,” the statement said.

Iddo Moed, the Israeli Ambassador to Canada, told Power & Politics that Canada’s decision would “embolden” Hamas.

“Hamas is very much aware of what is going on right now and I think they will be celebrating this very message,” Moed said.

Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said in a news statement on Wednesday that Carney’s decision is “predicated on misplaced faith in vague commitments” by Abbas.

“Extending recognition absent real change on the ground is a recipe for another failed Palestinian pseudo-state controlled by terrorists,” Shack said.

More than 100 advocacy groups have been warning of hunger spreading in Gaza as ceasefire negotiations stall.

Israel, which controls all supplies entering Gaza, denies it is responsible for food shortages.

Carney was asked how likely it is that elections could be held given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the heightened tensions in the region overall.

“Much has to happen in order for a democratic viable state [to be] established in Palestine. We fully recognize that,” Carney said.

“We’re committed to help work as part of that process, but I’m not in any way [or] shape minimizing the scale of that task.”

Carney was joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, who announced $10 million to “to accelerate reform and capacity-building for the Palestinian Authority” earlier this week.

Anand’s announcement was made at a major UN conference — convened by France and Saudi Arabia — to find ways to preserve the two-state solution.

Conservatives denounce decision

The Conservative Party said in a statement that it supports a two-state solution, but also said Carney’s decision is a “reward” for Hamas.

“A unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood, without peace negotiations or a renunciation of violence, destroys the path to a lasting, two-state solution. Worse, it legitimizes terrorism by handing political rewards to a group that rules Gaza through fear, oppression and brutality,” the statement said.

NDP MP Heather McPherson said she welcomed Carney’s decision but said it should have been made sooner. She also called on Canada to do more to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“It should not have taken the Liberals this long to make this decision — and it should not take until September to implement it,” McPherson wrote in a statement.

“The Liberals should recognize the state of Palestine today — while also taking the political action necessary to end Canada’s complicity in this genocide.”

In the past week, a number of Liberal MPs have called on Canada to follow France’s lead.

Toronto MP Salma Zahid and Montreal-area MP Sameer Zuberi said in social media posts that Canada must join France in announcing its recognition of a state for the Palestinian people.

Fares Al Soud, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Mississauga Centre, said on social media that justice for the Palestinian people “demands recognition.”

Last fall, dozens of MPs from the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green Party joined an international call for the recognition a Palestinian state. (CBC)

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Member of Parliament and leader of the Sarvajana Balaya party, Dilith Jayaweera, met with the Ambassador of Palestine to Sri Lanka, Ihab Khalil, earlier today to express solidarity with the people of Palestine amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Jayaweera condemned the “inhumane and tragic conflict” unfolding in Palestine and called on Israel to respect international law and immediately halt the war and the forced starvation of Palestinian civilians.

In a statement issued following the meeting, he said, “The Sarvajana Balaya stands strong with Palestine,” and emphasized the need for global unity in the face of such atrocities. 

He added that Sri Lanka’s Buddhist civilizational values have long advocated for peace and harmony and that it is the duty of leaders worldwide to act for the sake of humanity.

Jayaweera’s remarks come at a time of heightened international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and broader calls for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. (Newswire)

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French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will recognise Palestine as a state, amid snowballing global anger over people starving in Gaza.

Macron said in a post on social media that he will formalise the decision at the United Nations General Assembly in September. “The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.″

The French president offered support for Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and frequently speaks out against antisemitism, but he has grown increasingly frustrated about Israel’s war in Gaza, especially in recent months.

“Given its historic commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine,” Macron posted. ″Peace is possible.’’

He also posted a letter he sent to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the decision.

Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas’s deputy Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed France’s intent to recognise a State of Palestine, thanking President Emmanuel Macron.

“This position reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state,” Sheikh said.

On the streets, Palestinians told AFP that they hoped other countries would now follow suit.

Islamist militant group Hamas hailed France’s pledge to recognise a State of Palestine as a “positive step” and urged all countries to do the same despite Israeli opposition.

“We consider this a positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination,” Hamas said in a statement, after French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France would formally state its recognition in September.

“We call on all countries of the world –especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine — to follow France’s lead,” Hamas added.

Three quarters of UN states support Palestinian state

France is the biggest and most powerful European country to recognise Palestine. According to an AFP tally, at least 142 countries out of the 193 UN members have now recognised or plan to recognise a Palestinian state, though Israel and the United States strongly oppose recognition.

They include most Middle Eastern, African, Latin American and Asian countries, but not the United States, Canada, most of western Europe, Australia, Japan or South Korea.

France has Europe’s largest Jewish population and the largest Muslim population in western Europe, and fighting in the Middle East often spills over into protests or other tensions in France.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington rejected Macron’s plan calling it a “reckless decision.”

Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin on Thursday slammed France’s move to recognise a State of Palestine, calling it “a black mark on French history and a direct aid to terrorism”.

Levin, who is also justice minister, said France’s “shameful decision” meant it was now “time to apply Israeli sovereignty” to the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.

In a statement on X, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also pressed Israel to seek peace, condemning the “Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza” and reiterating Canada’s support for a two-state solution in the region.

Carney also accused Israel of violating international law over the blocking of Canadian-funded aid to civilians in the war-torn Palestinian enclave.

“Canada calls on all sides to negotiate an immediate ceasefire in good faith. We reiterate our calls for Hamas to immediately release all the hostages, and for the Israeli government to respect the territorial integrity of the West Bank and Gaza,” the prime minister said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez  welcomed France’s decision to join Spain in recognising the State of Palestine, saying it would “protect” a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Together, we must protect what (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution,” the Socialist leader, an outspoken critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, wrote on X. (France24)

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Sri Lanka has joined a group of cross-regional countries in addressing a letter to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, expressing concern over unilateral sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories.

The letter was co-signed by Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Iceland, Namibia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, and members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Geneva.

The group condemned attacks—particularly on social media—against Albanese and other UN Special Procedures Mandate Holders, calling them unjust and intended to discredit those revealing violations of international law.

“The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Special Procedures had earlier expressed concern at the relentless and intensifying social media attacks against independent United Nations’ experts, staff and specialized agencies. These unwarranted and unjust attacks, which we unequivocally reject, seek to undermine the legitimacy and credibility of the UN Special Procedures Mandate Holders, particularly of those exposing the truth about grave violations of international law,” the letter said.

They reiterated the importance of maintaining the independence of UN mandate holders and warned that punitive actions against them undermine the Human Rights Council’s legitimacy.

The letter also recalled protections under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and urged all member states to interact constructively with special procedures in line with UNGA resolution 60/251. (Newswire)

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Minister Bimal Rathnayake says Sri Lanka will not dispatch migrant workers for jobs in Israel-held Palestinian lands. 

Speaking to reporters, Minister Rathnayake said, like several countries maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, Sri Lanka, too, has to continue, including sending migrant workers, for the benefit of the nation’s economy.

“If Sri Lanka suddenly ends ties with Israel, the economy will crash. It will also result in several Sri Lankan migrants currently employed in Israel losing their jobs. We cannot do this. Sri Lanka will act like several countries, including Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, who stand with Palestine but continue ties with Israel for diplomatic and economic purposes,” he said. 

Minister Rathnayake explained that Sri Lanka cannot end diplomatic and economic ties with Israel over the Palestinian conflict, as it could be detrimental for Sri Lanka’s economy. 

“We believe in an independent Palestinian State and an Independent Israel State. Sri Lanka considers them as two separate Governments. As such, Sri Lanka will have to continue with political and economic ties with Israel,” he explained.

Minister Bimal Rathnayake reiterated that Sri Lanka stands strong on its stance for a free Palestinian State and condemns the killing of innocent lives by Israel. 

The minister made the remarks in response to questions raised by reporters on MP Rauff Hakeem’s recent statement that Sri Lanka should stop sending migrant workers to Israel for employment due to its attacks on Palestine.

“Rauff Hakeem was a minister for decades. During that period, too, Sri Lankan employees were sent to Israel and Israel was occupying and killing Palestinian people at that time. Why didn’t he try to stop sending Sri Lankan migrants to Israel while he was a minister under the Rajapaksha and Ranil Wickremesinghe regimes?” Minister Rathnayake questioned. (Newswire)

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Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, has been elected as the President of the Sri Lanka-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Association of the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka.

According to a Parliament statement, MP Mujibur Rahman was elected as the Secretary of the Association.

The revival meeting of the Association was held at the Parliament premises recently (09 May), under the patronage of the Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. 

The Ambassador of Palestine to Sri Lanka, Ihab I.M. Khalil, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Deputy Speaker, Dr. Rizvie Salih, along with Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and the Secretary General of Parliament, also attended the event.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the deep-rooted friendship between Sri Lanka and Palestine, which has been built on shared values and mutual respect. The meeting underscored Sri Lanka’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people. It was highlighted that the people of Sri Lanka have consistently expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine over the years.

It was noted that the Sri Lanka-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Association, first established in 2015, has played an instrumental role in fostering dialogue and cooperation between the two Parliaments. The revival of this Association marks a renewed commitment to strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, promoting mutual understanding, and deepening ties in areas such as culture and education. (Newswire)

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